


Younger Dreams

by marion2112



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Fluff and Angst, I'm Sorry, M/M, Mentions of Cancer, Sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:07:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26163118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marion2112/pseuds/marion2112
Summary: Life is unfair.Kageyama's future was all set. He only looked up for his professional career and how far he would go to be the best volleyball player. Until time is ticking and his lifetime seems unsure since his health is slowly deterioring. There may be no tomorrow, as now, he only can remember his younger dreams.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	1. Karasuno's tradition

**Author's Note:**

> I first wanna say thank you for giving attention to my work, it's always nice :(  
> I hope this gives some comfort to those who lived from close or far this kind of situation. I really enjoyed typing this since it helped me put words on what I feel, I needed to share it somewhere and somehow that's how I came up with this fanfic.
> 
> → Please be aware that this story contains spoilers from haikyuu!!'s scans so you must have finished the manga to read it  
> ( i'm apologizing to animes only )  
> → This might be triggering since it mentions death and cancer, don't read it if you're sensitive about it  
> → English is not my first language, please consider that I might make mistakes :(

> _**6th june 2021, 11:37AM. Miyagi (JAPAN).** _

Hinata was late. The excitement that took him the day before prevented him from going to sleep early; which made him forget to set his alarm on for the next day. He rushed out of bed, got ready in just a few minutes, and headed for his front door. He didn't even take the time to take a breakfast with him, "no time for this." he thought. His hair was disheveled and messy, one of his laces was untied, and he hadn't even paid attention to check on his things. The redhead young man slipped his bag over his shoulder as he ran to get his bike and go to the gymnasium.

It was still early and yet the sun was already beating hard on him. Hinata was already starting to sweat before he even reached his destination. The landscape was so beautiful, as always. The clouds were high in the sky, forming some kind of shapes. He knew this path better than anyone else, used to take it everyday, morning and evening. Small routes surrounded by tress, with no one around except a few animals on the way. Hinata liked to go slowly so he could enjoyed the nice weather and the view before him as he always did, especially that he hadn't seen it since last year. He could have had if he got up earlier, but there is no question of arriving late today. Daichi would kill him like he did like when they were in high school. So Hinata just pushed harder on his legs to get there on time.

Every summer, Karasuno's Volleyball Club agreed to organize a day at the high school just to play together once a year. It became some kind of a tradition for the boys now. Coach Ukai, who continued to give lessons here, agreed to give Daichi a duplicate of the keys. Since it's always during holidays, he didn't see any convenience lending them the gymnasium. Of course, he said that in exchange, they had to clean up before leaving. Nevertheless, it was quite complicated to find a date that fits everyone's schedule since each member of the team now had a life other than volleyball. They all had to be available the same day; and with Hinata and Kageyama very often abroad, it was not easy to arrange. Fortunately this year, it was a little easier since they were in Japan to participate in the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The world competition would not start until middle of july, which left them a little time to enjoy their free time before continuing their training sessions. Getting together would surely do everyone good, remember the old times spent together while tossing a few balls. It was Suga who had this idea of an annual match. He said he was scared to lose contact with the members so he made them promise that every summer they would have a 6vs6 game like they did in high school.

It was maybe the seventh time they had done it and yet Hinata was still as excited as before. It was probably the day of the year he was waiting for the most. So he accelerated his race and in no time he was in front of Karasuno's high school. The gymnasium's door was already wide open, hoping he wasn't the last one to arrive. As he was about to get off his bike, he heard rushed footsteps coming from behind him. He didn't have time to turn around when a tall figure ran past him at full speed, almost pushing him aside. He knew _who_ it was.

"Kageyama, wait for me!" the red haired boy yelled.  
"Hurry up dumbass, we're gonna be late."

Hinata smiled. Nothing had changed despite the time spent since high school. He dropped his bike and ran even faster to catch up with his _partner_. The brunette disappeared inside the building, the older entered just a few seconds after him. As they passed the door, all eyes turned to them. No one was missing, they arrived last, but on time.

"Shōyō!" Nishinoya shouted, smiling.  
"Noya! Are you back from your trip around the world?"  
"Yeah, I got home last week. Still a little jet lagged but I'm in good shape!" He said with a raised fist.

Nishinoya, after his last year of high school, had decided to take a break from studies in order to travel. He worked hard for two years to save money to pay his world tour. It took him months to prepare everything, where he wanted to go, what to visit, all the administrative stuff and etc... He left Japan last september for Australia as the first stop. He crossed all the oceans and discovered so many different countries with diverse and varied cultures. His mindset must be so different now. Hinata understood this when he also went living in Brazil. Travel changes a person a lot, but Nishinoya still remained the same. He had to admit he was admirative of his elder.

"Hinata! Kageyama! We were expecting you." Tanaka shouted, winking.  
"For once they're not late." Tsukkishima noticed.  
"I'm never late." Kageyama said, clearly annoyed.  
"Tsukki, leave them a bit, they've just arrived." added Yamaguchi.

Ennoshita became captain of the team when the elders left, then Yamaguchi. It felt really different for them back in the days, but they both made amazing leaders. They went to nationals again and even though they didn't win, all were happy to even got the chance to go there. The crows weren't wingless anymore. Hinata and Kageyama were the only two of the Karasuno's members who had continued volleyball until making it their profession. They lived off their passion and they wouldn't change that for the world. Their friends supported them on this path and that's all that mattered to them. Despite everyone's differences, the team had somehow remained complete. There were a few duets and trios within the group which allowed them to stay united and in touch.

"It's been a long time guys!" Exclaimed Sawamura.

Suga ran towards the two of them, putting his arms around them, moved to tears.

"Ah boys, we haven't seen each other for months. I missed you." He said with crying eyes.  
"Let them breathe a little." Said Azumane.

The tall one with the bun grips the shoulders of his friend in order to remove him from its grip. The latter had cheeks all red, everybody could read the joy of finding his comrades on his face. It radiated pure happiness. It had always been very contagious with him. You could say that Suga was playing with the team's mind. He always made sure to show his affection to the members. The three elders of the team quitted volleyball and did they dream job instead. Azumane left for Tokyo but made sure to come back to Miyagi once in a while to see the other two. It was what they've always wanted. Ennoshita, Narita and Kinoshita did exactly the same, keeping their trio together no matter what.

"Well, the coach lends us the gymnasium until 4pm so let's start by installing the nets. We will make the teams once everyone is changed." Sawamura indicated.

"Let's go so we can leave earlier." Nodded the blond boy.

Tsukishima always said he was annoyed of coming here every year, but he never meant it. He just didn't want to admit it felt good to him to see the team once in a while. The tall one knew that if he did, everyone would mock him for the rest of his life. He continued to act like he didn't care but of course all noticed his enthusiasm.

About a half hour later, everyone was back on the field, in sportswear. The nets were set, the teams were formed, the annual match could begin.

* * *

The first set was won by the team containing Sawamura, Tsukishima, Tanaka, Sugawara, Nishinoya and Ennoshita. It had to be said that the two groups were rather well balanced. The six other players were close to win the set, but Tsukishima's block made them lose the point several times even though they were quite confident. Two more sets to go, they hadn't lost yet.

Everyone seemed happy to play, regardless of the results. Tsukishima still kept a neutral facial expression, but it's not like the others weren't used to it. One team dominated more in attack while the other outperformed in defense. It was just a friendly match and yet everyone played as if their lives depended on it. Especially Hinata and Kageyama since it was like training for the Olympics which awaited them in two months. Obviously the level here for these two was very different from what there was in V League, but still, it was a perfect exercise. They tried to improve their quick spike and receive as many balls as possible.

For all the players of the team, volleyball was a passion that would stay with them forever, it was a memorable moment of their lives, but they weren't practicing it that much now that they were grown up. Time took upon them and their jobs or studies tore them appart from what they loved. But for the two youngest of the team, the love of this sport endured in a _different_ way. Their fascinating level was immediately noticed, professionals didn't take long to contact them during nationals. Of course, they have changed after they quitted high school to concentrate on their future as volleyball players. They practiced like crazy to be where they were now. The trainings they did until late at night have been recorded, their strength and level were incredibly high now.

Since they were placed on the same team today, their attacks were strong enough to destabilize the opposing team. Nishinoya struggled to receive the ball but endured it without complaining even once. Tanaka almost smashed but Yamaguchi received it just on time and tossed it to Kageyama; but while Hinata was about to spike in the opposing camp, he did not receive the ball.

The loud sound of the ball hitting the ground caught the attention of all the players. Each pair of eyes turned to the setter who was supposed to toss.

"Kageyama are you okay?" Suga asked concerned.

The tall brunette was on the ground, leaning on his knees, his large hands on the cold floor. Kageyama's face was distorted with pain, his eyes were closed as he clenched his teeth so hard that everyone feared he was going to break his jaw. It seemed like his fingers were going to sink into the parket. He really looked like he was agonizing.

Hinata rushed to his side. "It started _again_." he said to himself. He pressed his hands on his partner's back in order to help ease the pain. 

"Can you explain to us what's wrong?" Wondered Sawamura.

Everyone approached the two concerned, forming a large circle, curious of Hinita who knew how to react with Kageyama's crisis. The pain that took hold of his back seemed to have calmed down a bit even though his face indicated otherwise. He changed his position to sit, in order to take a better breath. He exhaled very loudly, a hand on his chest. The look in his eyes went from panic to relief and tiredness as soon as Hinata leaned his hands on him.

"He already had small _episodes_ like this. It began a few weeks ago I think." Explained Hinata.

Kageyama started to experience severe pain in the middle of the back for quite some time now. It was was so bad that he couldn't ignore it and had to stop any activity he was doing. It felt like a huge cramp for him, but more intense. Of course he had seen this with the team's doctor before, but apparently nothing to report. It could be a limbago, so he made an appointment with an osteopath. It did him good, relaxed his back, but did not prevent the pain from returning a few days later and even more frequently. It could take over him not only in a match, but also outside of volleyball.

"I'm fine." Said Kageyama.  
"No dumbass, I've been telling you to go see a real doctor for a while."  
"The king will not have his crown by remaining on the bench." Tsukishima said straightforwardly.

Hinata had noticed that not only this pain which seized Kageyama made him suffer, but it also affected his performance. His endurance decreased and his precision was becoming more vague than usual. He simply couldn't focus as much as before, he tried to hold on even with the pain taking over him; but he continued to play despite everything not to disadvantage the team.

"If you want to be in great shape for the Olympics, you better get an appointment now." Azumane added.

Kageyama was sitting in the midst of all these stares, distraught at the truth. If he continued like this, the coach would not let him play. He had already been warned about this. After long seconds of reflection, he withdrew.

"I'll go next week, but only because I don't want Atsumu to brag on taking my place."

* * *

The team proposed to stop the match here to not push too hard on Kageyama; but the latter insisted to finish it as planned. In the end, his team had lost, he was disappointed. Not about losing, but himself. Being seen as "weak" was the worst for him, he knew he couldn't go on with this pain forever. He had to take actions if he wanted to play at Olympics.

  
After putting away the nets, changing clothes and checking that everything was in order, the boys decided to eat a barbecue in a small local restaurant. They spent the afternoon rehashing the good memories of high school and talking about their daily life. The atmosphere got relaxed as they were all laughing. No one spoke of the _incident_ again. Of course, this still tormented Hinata, but he decided not to worry before Kageyama went to the doctor. Better to wait for an official verdict than to jump on conclusions. Just hoping that his partner would be able to play normally in the tournament.   
  


Hinata looked at his friend, and got lost in his thoughts. Did he even realized that it wasn't just "a bad cramp"? Kageyama tried to ignore the issue until now, he didn't want to even talk about his crisis. He did as if it was nothing serious. Although, the brunette felt troubled for what was happening to him, he just didn't know how to deal with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you understood, this will take place on the Olympic Games of 2021. Please understand that I did my best to portray this tournament and the events along so it would be as realistic as possible. If something seems quite unconvincing, i'm really sorry about this :( Let me know about some details that could bother you and I'll try to correct it (if possible) in the upcoming chapters.


	2. Hinata's Birthday

Two weeks later, was Hinata's birthday.

He was now 25 years old, a quarter of a century as they used to say. He was not afraid of getting old, it didn't bother him as long as he was surrounded by the people he loved. He wasn't complaining at all. As time was going by, his life was getting better and better. He had the opportunity to do his dream job, being a professional volleyball player. His only thought at the moment was to go as far as possible in the Olympics. Of course he would regret it if they were eliminated at the first round. He wanted to win, it could be an amazing birthday gift.

To celebrate the occasion, he decided to invite the team he would go to the Olympics with to a barbecue. They had had training in the morning and once Hinata passed the door of the gym, all the team was already there. Hoshiumi was carrying a delicious cake in his hands with the most pleasing smile ever. They prepared a surprise for him. Bokuto came to rub energetically his fingers on the red haired boy, he wouldn't stop screaming "happy birthday".

Hinata smiled during all the session, he felt so grateful to be well surrounded. He only had good people around him, they were his happy place. He knew he could count on them for anything. That's pretty funny actually. The ones he called now his members were supposed to be his _ennemies_ back in high school, and still he never thought of them as such. They were the ones who helped him, and it was because of them he could go this far. Hinata learned a lot from each person he met in his life.

To show his gratefulness, he said he would pay for the meal. He already felt bad they bought him a cake. Once around the table, Bokuto hastened to take the larger pieces of meat.

"Leave some for others, take it easy." Atsumu sighed.

"Hinata said he was paying so we can always order some more."

"This is not how it works." Ushijima added.

Hinata was happy. He had just seen his high school friends again and now he was getting ready to compete in the Olympics. He still couldn't believe it. Since middle school, he was told repeatedly that he would never achieve anything, that all alone he was useless on the field, in fact, all kinds of atrocities; but he did not let himself be defeated so far. And here he was almost at the top now, ready to fight for the highest spot in the volleyball's world.

"Sakusa, show us your thing with your fingers!" Hoshiumi asked.

"No, I'm not going to do it for you every session."

"You ain't funny man." Bokuto claimed. " Anyway, the training was intense today I feel like I ran more than usual."

"That's true, the coach did not spare us on this one." Atsumu laughed.

"Yeah, but thanks to these exercises, we're going to crush Venezuela." Kageyama said confidently.

Venezuela was the first team Japan had to face. Of course, they already made a lot of inquiries about who they were dealing with. They watched old matches and studied all of their techniques. Even if a place in this tournament must be earned, they were sure they would go further than the first round. They had trained so hard, it was not to lose as soon as they arrived on the field. It was only the beginning.

"By the way Kageyama, what did the doctor tell you? You didn't keep us informed." Sakusa suddenly exclaimed.

All eyes were on the tall brunette in question who was eating quietly. Now that the reflection has been done, it was true that Kageyama didn't mention his doctor's appointment last week. He would have forgotten? Hinata remained perplexed.

"Oh, he told me apparently it's a lumbago or something."

"What's this ?" Ushijima asked.

"I think it's chronic pain that can block a person during physical exertion, and since I play volleyball, he said it's not uncommon for athletes."

"Yeah, but can you keep training? Is that okay?" Demanded Hinata.

"He gave me meds for the pain so I should be fine. He also told me to come back see him if it still hurts next week."

It had been three weeks since Kageyama had been dragging this kind of pain. It seemed quite long and painful to him, especially since even though he had medicines to help him endure it, that did not prevent his playing performance from decreasing and affecting the whole team. He had to take breaks and got replaced in the middle of a few matches already. It took about ten minutes for him to calm down and get back to his normal state. The brunette begged to keep playing, but the coach was thinking that maybe letting him on the bench for the first match would be better for everyone. If he had a seizure right in the middle of a game, it would risk losing valuable points, in addition to worsening Kageyama's condition.

He might act indifferently to what was happening to him, but Hinata could see that Kageyama felt sorry about putting the team in a bad position. They had been preparing for so long and now _this_ happened? Of course, the chosen time was not opportune, but now was not the moment to let it go. The first official game was only a month away, a lot could happen by then. He still may have time to rest and resume training seriously just before the beginning of the Olympics.

Hinata wasn't very worried about this whole situation. Yes, he cared about his partner. He hated to see him that way, putting a lot of pressure on himself and act like it didn't affect him; but what the doctor said about Kageyama reassured him. A nasty backache, nothing more.

* * *

But two days later, Kageyama did not come to training. The coach was kind of mad that he hadn't sent a message to say he was sick or anything. Of course he knew this guy wasn't really the type text people, but that wasn't an excuse.

The training went all the same for the others. Except Atsumu who was titular for this session as a replacement, which made him happy. He had the occasion to play a bigger role in the team for a day. The time seemed much longer than usual and everyone was a little preoccupied, but no one showed it. Kageyama never skipped a single training, even when he had a bad cold. They all knew it was weird that their partner wasn't there. " _What happened to him?"_ They all thought. Maybe he was just nos feeling well and needed to rest?

In the late afternoon, when everyone was going home, Hinata decided to stop by Kageyama's to see how he was. He bought some food at a restaurant that he would eat with his friend at his house, maybe that would cheer him up a bit. 

When he arrived in front of his apartment, he was surprised to see the lights were completely off. Is he not there? Or perhaps was he sleeping? Hinata frowned, confused. The red haired boy locked his bike on his usual spot and took the stairs that would lead him to the entrance. After knocking twice and a few minutes of waiting, the door opened. Kageyama was standing there, furrowed brows and couldn't hide his surprised expression. He apparently did not expect anyone to come visit him today.

"I brought some food, you let me in?" Hinata smiled.

Kageyama moved away to let his friend walk in his apartment, who knew every room like the back of his hand. He used to come very often before, when the two of them weren't so busy. Now that they're in the national team together, they have more time to spend at this place. 

Hinata was sorting the food out of the bags while Kageyama opened the curtains to let some natural light reach the walls. It was pretty late actually, almost sunset.

"You stayed in the dark all day?"

"Yes."

Something was definitely weird. Hinata noticed it when Kageyama went to sit heavily on the chair in front of him. He was still in his pajamas and had dark circles under his eyes. Usually, he would bark at his friend for coming over without inform him first, but oddly, he stayed quiet.

"You do look really tired, are you all right?" Asked Hinata.

"The pain prevents me from sleeping, the medicine the doctor gave me is not working." The brunette sighed loudly.

"You should go see him again."

Kageyama didn't answer.

They both started to eat. Hinata was telling him how the training had gone, but the dark-haired man seemed to listen only with one ear, not pretending to pay attention to what his friend was saying. Even though pork curry was his favorite food, he didn't feel hungry and left half of his plate. He slept all day and yet still felt like going to bed again. If no one came to visit him today, he probably wouldn't have eaten.

When they were both done, Kageyama was about to throw away the garbage. Hinata tried to cheer up his friend who was obviously exhausted. He thought for a long time but he probably never saw him in such a pathetic state. The elder was about to laugh and say he looked like an old man but instantly stopped when he saw Kageyama's body suddenly twisting in pain. He almost collapsed, powerless and paralyzed. His face was extremely tense, even more than before, and his right hand was gripping hard on his lower back. Hinata got up immediately to try to appease him once again, but this time, in vain. The pain was too intense to stop.

"I'm taking you to the hospital." Assured Hinata.

"What?" 

Hinata didn't think twice, he had to do something.

"Put on your shoes quickly, let's go."

He rushed to pack a bag with some clothes in case the latter had to spend the night there. Then he grabbed Kageyama's car keys, ready to drive him to the hospital emergency room. Within minutes the two boys were on the doorstep, ready to go. He had to help the taller one to walk since his muscles were too tensed to work properly. He heard growlings at every effort he was making, but made it to the parking lot.

Once they put their seatbelt, Hinata pressed his feet on the accelerator and drove sharply towards the nearest hospital.


	3. It's an Emergency

An hour or two later, the boys were quickly released from the hospital.

Kageyama had been taken care of an hour after his arrival at the emergencies, leaving Hinata to ruminate in the waiting room. The nurse said she would take care of him and that he didn't have to worry. The redhead was anxious but quite positive about this situation. The words of his friend's doctor came back to him in order to reassure himself. _"Just back pain"_ he had said. What else could it be after all?

After Hinata walked around the room several times, the nurse came back with a tired, but relieved Kageyama. He didn't seem to be in pain, at least, for now. His eyes were slightly wrinkled with exhaustion, yet his muscles were more relaxed than ever. He looked glad to finally have some time to relax after long weeks of backache. As expected, it was a lumbago. Quite long apparently, but it would surely be over in a few days, said the doctor. Since Kageyama is a top athlete, it wasn't unusual to feel that much pain. He would soon be released from it.

And so, after a few hours spent in the hospital, the two boys were on the way home. The atmosphere was calm as silence sounded really loud. Only the music from the radio animated the older, who tapped his fingers on the wheel in rhythm. Kageyama was so exhausted he was about to fall asleep before being in his own bed. You could tell he was fighting the tiredness that threatened to take him away. He was slumped in his seat, but at least, he felt relaxed and wasn't in pain anymore.

"Hinata."

"Hmm?"

"Thank you ... You know ... For taking me to the hospital." Kageyama said, thankful.

"You feel better?"

"Yes, much better."

Hinata smiled, he was satisfied. Those two love to annoy each other, but maybe right now was not the time. They both understood it.

"Good."

For the first time in weeks, Kageyama could breathe a little from all of this. The visit to the hospital must have done him good, both physically and mentally. His body felt better, he knew it was almost over and he could return on the court soon. This was probably the only thing he wanted at the moment, play volleyball with a perfect condition. Since a lot of time, the dark haired boy tried not to push himself too much so he wouldn't face a crisis, but sometimes failed. Kageyama had a strong mental, that was why he still wanted to play even though the pain made it extremely hard for him.

Hinata was relieved. Everything would be back to normal very soon.

Once parked in front of the building, the two boys stared into space.

"I hope you enjoyed the ride, because that was the last time you touched my car, dumbass." Kageyama barked.

"I'm still behind the wheel, I can scratch it for you a bit if it makes you so happy." 

The younger huffed and laughed at the same time. No one dared to get out of the car. The comfortable atmosphere made them stay a little longer.

"Are you planning to come to practice the day after tomorrow?" Hinata asked.

Kageyama reflected a few seconds.

"Of course."

"You should not."

Kageyama was left speechless. He turned to look at the redhead, curiosity over his face.

"Why not?"

"They've prescribed some pretty strong medicines for you that will tire you out. I don't think you'll be okay, you should wait until you're completely well. You still have time, don't worry. Just let the coach know otherwise he's going to be pissed off at you again. "

The brunette gritted his teeth, he was a bit taken aback by Hinata's words.

"I'll come to practice. I'm gonna be fine." He then assured.

"The doctor said to rest."

"The Olympics are barely a month away Hinata, I don't have time to rest."

"Do you prefer to play the matches fully rested and in good condition or to go back now and risk having incidents again?"

Kageyama lowered his head and huffed loudly, visibly defeated. Hinata was right, it would be better for everyone if he waited a little before going back to practice.

"Alright, I'll wait."

"It's for your own good that I'm saying this."

"I know; But I want to play volleyball." The younger murmured.

"Soon you will, _I promise_."

Nothing more was to be said. A heavy atmosphere had settled. Hinata knew that Kageyama would want to play again right away, but he couldn't rush things. He had a few weeks left before the Olympics, there was still time for him to catch up. Waiting just a few more sessions until being completely recovered was the best solution.

As they got out of the car, Hinata was about to take his bike to go back to his apartment. Kageyama, who was a bit upset, got his car's keys back, and waved quickly and went straight to his front door. The redhead could see that his friend struggled to climb the stairs. It was probably the exhaustion that made it so hard for him, he clearly pained to reach his home. The older watched him from afar painfully.

Once he was sure Kageyama made it to his place, Hinata sighed.

"Well, it was easier than I thought."

* * *

Obviously, Kageyama did not listen.

He showed up for training two days after his night in the hospital, more determined than ever. The coach was still furious that the setter didn't inform him he would be absent the other day. Of course he had to apologize properly.

"You didn't take my advice, idiot." Hinata told him.

"Because you really thought I was going to listen to you?"

Kageyama walked over the locker rooms in no time, leaving Hinata puzzled.

"Still so stubborn." He said to himself.

The redhead thought about their conversation in the car the other night. He agreed quite easily not to go to today's session. Hinata should have known it was a lie.

Still, it went well. All the members were put into pairs to do some exercises. Kageyama was with Hoshiumi, and not once did he feel to be in pain. The dark haired boy seemed so happy to be able to play again, just seeing this put a smile on Hinata's face. He looked like a child. Usually, he was concentrated as he got on the court, frowned eyebrows with a tense expression, but not now. He had been struggling with pain for weeks and the feeling to toss the ball without having a huge cramp must be relieving to him. Hinata changed his mind. Maybe after all it was a good thing he went to training today.

Everyone asked Kageyama how he had been doing lately, if he was okay and sleeping enough. The atmosphere that day was really nice. It seemed like a new beginning for all of them. The latter might have felt terrible to put the team in a fragile position, but it was all over now. The Kageyama that everyone knew was _back_

* * *

Late at night, Hinata was watching a movie, alone in his room. He was bored, the plot wasn't really interesting, he just watched it to keep himself busy. He had nothing planned for tomorrow. What could he be doing? Play volleyball? Gaming with some friends? Maybe he could go to Kenma's, he sure would be happy.

After coming back from two years in Brazil, the redhead joined V-League to become a professional volleyball player. Of course it took place in Tokyo, so he thought it would be better to live there than Miyagi. His parents weren't pleased at first because they wanted to spend some time with their son, but they understood. They always supported Hinata in every decision he made. They knew it would be easier for him because he already had friends in Japan's capital. He wasn't alone. If he ever needed help, someone would definitely help him. 

Kageyama moved in Tokyo a year before, so he helped him a lot getting along with the city. He showed him good places and stuff he had to know about. They literally spent a month together visiting as if they were tourists. Taking pictures of everything that looked cool. " _Good old times._ " Suddenly though Hinata.

The redhead, who was not interested in the movie anymore, turned to look at the photos he had on his wall. He stopped on one particularly. Last year of High School, when Yamaguchi was Karasuno's captain. This was a moment Hinata cherished a lot. A lot of good memories came from that time. He would do anything to live again some of his favorite moments in life.

As Hinata was getting lost in his nostalgic thoughts, his phone vibrated.

 _Who_ could send him a message that late?

 **From:** Kageyama

"Hey, I'm at the hospital, can you bring me some clothes?"

Huh? 

"What the hell?" He murmured, confused.

He looked at his phone for a minute, as if he wanted to check if it wasn't a mistake; He did not receive another text. Weird. He hastened to call his fiend, but didn't pick up.

Hinata rushed out of bed and took the road towards Kageyama's apartment.

After taking clothes as demanded, he arrived at the hospital. There were a lot of people that night. Stressed, the redhead didn't really know what to do. He then noticed a nurse passing by and decided to ask him directly.

"Hello, I think my friend was brought here around thirty minutes ago, his name is Kageyama Tobio."

"Hello, yes, let me ask my colleague if she knows anything about it. I will ask you to wait in the waiting room please."

Hinata thanked him and walked towards a chair to fall heavily on it. What was going on? Everything was alright yesterday. Why did Kageyama went to the hospital again? Did he have a crisis? Or maybe he went by himself because he felt back pain? Still no text from him. He was always positive and the happy pill but suddenly felt anxious. His foot was taping the floor without being able to stop.

A child was crying not far from him. Her parents were trying to calm her down, she probably had to face something difficult. All the people there were waiting patiently, no one showed an ounce of anxiousness. How were they doing to control it?

A few minutes after, the nurse from earlier came back to Hinata, smiling.

"I found your friend, he's room 211 on the second floor. You can see him if you want, but not more than five minutes, visits are normally not allowed at this time."

"Thank you very much!"

He didn't waste any second and walked quickly towards the room indicated to him by the nurse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see it's getting complicated :)  
> We're only at the beginning of the story don't worry.  
> What do you think for now ? Is it good ? Bad ?  
> I'm trying to post as soon as I can but writing takes me a lot of time since I'm kind of busy but I'm happy when I'm releasing a chapter. I hope you'll like the next one as well :3


	4. Complications

The corridors of the hospital were still well lit even though it must have been around midnight. Many people were in the way, probably waiting for treatment or a doctor. How could there be so much animation that late? Hinata was in a hurry, and still, tried to clear his way without pushing anyone. After some time, he arrived in front of room 211. He just hoped he had heard correctly and wasn't about to enter someone else's. Hesitating, he stood there a few seconds to catch his breath. A wave of energy swept over him and he violently opened the door.

"What happened again?" He yelled.

The redhead stopped dead in his tracks when he suddenly remembered he was in a hospital in the middle of the night. Idiot.

"You came rather quickly, but you could have knocked."

Hinata's eyes fell on the figure sitting on the on the edge of the bed; Who was trying to find an interesting tv show to watch. Kageyama turned his head to look at the other. Something had changed. The two boys met this afternoon for practice, yet, the dark haired seemed completely different. He was not in the same condition he was a few hours ago. His eyes were ringed with fatigue and the paleness of his face was really worrying. The latter kept a neutral expression despite the image his body reflected. 

He was dressed in hospital clothes, a bluish shirt and pants. It was when he got up that Hinata noticed the pounds lost. The more shocking was the infusion linked to his arm. To move around the room with it, he had to use an IV stand. Kageyama really looked _sick_.

"Tell me what happened." Repeated the older.

The brunette took the bag from Hinata's hands to check its contents, ignoring his intense gaze. He took out the clothes that were brought to him and put them calmly in the closet.

"I was just not feeling well, I called an ambulance and here I am."

Kageyama had always been fairly straightforward but now, he didn't take time to explain, which clearly annoyed the redhead.

"Details. Please?"

The affected one huffed and went back to sit on his bed. Hinata was worried, but pissed off at the same time. He's his friend, he deserved a better explication. What did he mean by "not feeling well"?

"I had another seizure, more violent than usual. I was on the ground, yet I managed to reach my phone and called an ambulance."

The atmosphere was suddenly tense. If Kageyama had lumbago it should have eased by now, but it was only getting worse. What was going on?

"I have to stay a few days to do some thorough examinations. Once they find out, I can leave, until then, I have to stay here." He pursued.

Hinata knew it was coming but didn't want to admit it. Fortunately, he took a few outfits, just in case. No one liked hospital's clothes, especially the dark haired. The older sat on the armchair next to the window while the other was going back to his bed.

"How are you feeling?" Hinata asked.

The redhead could not help but stare at the infusion. Some blood was running around, it made him uncomfortable. Would he be okay to change himself with it? "It may be difficult." He thought.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, they gave me medicines for the night."

Kageyama's eyes seemed to cry out with fatigue, maybe because for once the pain wouldn't keep him awake. He must have had accumulated days of sleepless nights, and now he could finally manage to rest a little. Hinata still thought that he wasn't like that in practice this afternoon, or maybe he just didn't notice it? How could his condition deteriorate so quickly? He looked fine during training but now he was in a hospital bed? _Something_ was off. 

"Why didn't you answer me when I tried to call you back?" He asked.

"They were taking me to my room, I couldn't pick up."

Hinata was not convinced. He walked around the room, he didn't like the atmosphere. The white walls, the smell of medicines, the lifeless light. Silence never sounded so loud than here. Nothing brought a hint of color and joy. A few days here would be okay, he just hoped it wasn't for more. Living here must be terrible.

Kageyama suddenly began to yawn. Hinata thought that was a sign for him to go and let the other rest. He stood up and got ready to leave.

"Tell me if you need anything. I'll come see you tomorrow."

"Can you get me some rice with an egg? They gave me something to eat but it was really gross." The younger asked with pleading eyes.

"Okay, I'll bring some back to you."

"Thank you." Replied Kageyama.

Hinata turned to the door, smiling, ready to leave. It was pleasant to see the dark haired thank him for once. He knew he had to be nice or he wouldn't get his favorite food tomorrow. How smart of him. The redhead left, letting the younger alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Kageyama would have probably disapproved, but Hinata had warned most of their friends and the Japan's team about what was going on with him. The dark haired didn't talk about himself often, especially with this kind of situation. He was still convinced it was nothing bad and that he had no reason to bother the others. Stupid. They had to know.

With almost all of the former Karasuno's members still living in Miyagi, it was not possible for them to come to Tokyo now. They had busy schedules and it was nearly a two hour drive to get there. They have promised to come visit Kageyama as soon as possible. Yet, another person was available today. Hinata wanted to cheer his friend up, so he thought to take someone to go to the hospital with him today.

After picking up the brunette's favorite food that he asked for yesterday, Hinata arrived at the hospital. The smell of the rice came to caress his nostrils while he waited patiently for an old friend to arrive. They said to meet up in front of the entrance. A couple of minutes later, a tall boy with brown hair walked to him, hands in his pockets. A smile appeared on his face while he waved his hand towards the redhead.

"Hey shrimp!"

"Stop calling me that, Oikawa. How many times do I have to remind you?"

Oikawa, who was also playing at the Olympics as Argentina, was in Tokyo for the summer as well. That meant, it was therefore possible for Hinata and the others to face the great king in a match. They both waited for it to happen, hoping to fight against each other once again.

Before, Oikawa was only an incredible opponent for the younger. Although he still admired him for his powerful serves and his skills, the two boys weren't that close. It was after meeting in Brazil that things changed. They spent a lot of time together and got to know each other before calling themselves "friends". Hinata was happy to see him again after months, even more with the Olympics coming.

"How was your day?" The smaller asked.

"Exhausting, as usual."

Hinata laughed. Oikawa had matured over the years, although he still liked to play silly. He was due to train with his team today but had promised to come here as soon as he was available. After a few minutes talk, the two boys entered the hospital and walked towards Kageyama's room. They knocked and opened the door when they heard a small "come in".

The dark haired turned to his visitors but immediately froze when he noticed Hinata was not alone. 

"What the hell?!" He shouted.

"So my little Tobio, aren't you happy to see me?" Laughed Oikawa.

The older stood in front of the other, a provocative smile on his face. Kageyama looked at him, still confused.

"Of all the people we know, why did you have to bring him?" He turned to Hinata.

"He was the only one available."

Oikawa stared at the redhead, falsely offended. Kageyama huffed loudly but smiled at the end. They spent their time fighting since middle school. These two have always been like cats and dogs, even if deep down, they had learned to appreciate each other. They just didn't dare to admit it, that was all.

"Anyway, what were you doing?" Hinata asked.

"Hoshiumi and Ushijima came to see me, they left ten minutes ago. Now I'm looking for something to watch on TV, there's nothing but uninteresting shows and my phone is dead. I didn't bring my charger."

The poor boy was bored and desperate to find an occupation. Kageyama looked pretty fine, he seemed to be in a good shape. He was lying in his bed, with the clothes that Hinata had brought him the day before. Someone might had helped him with the infusion. It was probably the different outfit that made him look better. His eyes weren't as weary as before and his face had regained some color.

"Ok, I'll bring you your computer and charger next time I visit you so you can watch movies." Assured the redhead.

The three boys spent the afternoon chatting, mostly about volleyball as always. They avoided talking about the Olympics knowing that Kageyama was probably not going to be able to play the first games. They didn't want to hurt his feelings as he was stuck at the hospital for now. He had to take a few tests tomorrow, that meant they would soon have a word to put on the dark haired's condition. If it wasn't a lumbago, the results would't be long to give an explanation.

Shortly before the end of the visits, the two friends decided to let Kageyama rest. They both promised to come back whenever they could. Even if the dark haired growled at Oikawa, he was glad the other came to see him.

They both left the room and decided to go sit on a bench outside the hospital.

"He took it well." Hinata laughed at himself.

"What?"

"Kageyama!" He continued. "I thought he would insult you when he saw you"

The redhead laughed loudly, putting his hands on his stomach. 

"Hinata." Oikawa interrupted him.

He suddenly stopped dead, noticing the older's serious expression. Why did he seem so closed all of a sudden?

"I feel like something's wrong with him."

"What do you mean?"

Hinata was confused.

"Maybe it's because I hadn't seen him in months, but he clearly lost a few pounds. He looks tired even though he is trying to hide it."

Hinata said nothing more, simply because he was right. Oikawa probably had a different vision since, as he said, they didn't met since quite a long time. The redhead saw Kageyama almost everyday and even more now that both of them were in Tokyo for the Olympics. He noticed the weight loss only yesterday because the other didn't wear large shirts. He was such in a pathetic state when he entered the hospital, so for Hinata, to see him dressed and talkative like today was a good thing; But for someone like Oikawa it wasn't the same. It was true that he changed since last month, it just took some time for the smaller to realize it.

"I don't think it's just back pain." Oikawa admitted.


End file.
